Darker Days
by FaolanLupa
Summary: Rusl found the injured Hylian boy just outside the Faron Woods. While scruffy, skittish, and exhausted, little 5 year old Link wormed his way into his and Uli's hearts. It appeared that he was just a lost orphan, in reality there was far more to his past. It was no wonder why he was as quiet as a mouse, and as timid. (Trigger Warning: T for Trafficking). Pre-TP *SEQUEL COMING SOON*
1. Ch 1 Safety

A/N I noticed I've been mostly writing in Rusl's POV as of late. Those of you that have read my other fanfic, Restless Spirits, probably noticed too. Don't worry, RS won't stay in his POV. This fanfic is gonna focus mainly on Rusl and Uli's POVs though, maybe Bo's too. It also appears that I mostly write TP fanfics, which is true, but I do have more diversity so no worries. I'll get around to it. My followers voted on this fanfic to be written before my others which include Captivity (yes, another TP fanfic), Life on the Run (LoZ AU), and Melancholy (BotW. The name will be changed). That's the order they'll be written in. I have another idea for a LoZ fanfic (OoT) so be prepared for that sometime in summer. I also write for other fandoms, but theyre pretty dead so I'm not sure if I'll post them. Anyway, enjoy this one. I hope you guys find it interesting. (Yes yes I know, RS followers are probably tired of Rusl being on the hunt)

Chapter 1

Spring is a beautiful season. Full of budding life, melting snow, and forests full of vibrant greens. With a scrutinous eye, Rusl found that nature had surprised him again with its beauty. Of course, it wasn't there to stay. The summer heat would taper down on the bright colours, bringing in the warmer tones of autumn, and finally the grey-blues and dazzling white of winter. The natural gorgeousness of the world always managed to catch his attention. Even the animals he hunted for food managed to catch his eye, whether it be their sleek coats, velvet antlers, or bright long feathers. The beauty of the woods and the need for food was what brought him out into the stunning world that day.

Rusl's well worn bow was grasped tightly in his hand, a chipped arrow always on the string, ready to be pulled back. Patience was required when on the hunt, even deep within the woods where it was teeming with life. He had to be patient and very quiet to be able to hit his prey. Despite waking early in the morning to hunt, it took quite some time before he even saw hide or head of a worthy animal to kill. He spotted one. The buck was young, velvet-like fuzz coated its stubby antlers and white speckles graced its hide.

Bow raised, arrow notched, he breathed in as he pulled back the string and took aim. When he was about to let it loose, the animal spooked and ran off, likely back to its herd. Rusl immediately became alert, he hadn't scared it off. He could tell that something else did. He stood carefully. So very carefully and quiet. If it was a predator he would have to defend himself. Apprehension tickled his heart and lungs. He kept the arrow on his string. Heart in his throat he gingerly stepped into the clearing, his ears tuned for any noise he wasn't making.

Behind him a bush rustled and snapped. Rusl swiveled around, bow drawn and aimed at the noise within a heartbeat, his dexterity with weapons bled through as bright as the sun. He remained still despite the pounding in his ears and the itch in his fingers to let go. If it was a threat he had to make sure he didn't miss or there might not be a second chance. No other sounds came from the bush so he lowered his bow a bit. The string went back to its normal state, allowing his fingers and arms to rest.

It appeared to just be a false alarm on his part before he noticed a pair of eyes peering out at him from the bush. Racing once again, Rusl's heart pounded in his ears. Yet, he realized that the eyes were a startling blue. The owner of them saw that they had been discovered and disappeared. Fierce snaps and frenzied rustling of leaves in the bush followed the disappearance. Surprisingly, the sounds did not fade. They were stuck, and it definitely seemed that it was not an animal.

Pushing back the boughs of the bush, Rusl first saw a small booted foot stuck within the rabbit snare he had placed there. Startled at the discovery he pushed the bush apart to see a frightened young boy scrambling in his futlie attempts to escape.

"Woah, I'm not going to hurt you! You're okay, hold still!" To say that he was surprised would be a massive understatement. A small child was the last thing he had expected to catch so deep within the woods.

The child did not appear to either hear him or chose not to listen as he continued his frantic attempts to shake his leg free and get away. Not knowing how to console the frightened boy, Rusl removed his hunting knife from his belt. The wild look he recieved from the other did not escape his notice. In one quick swipe the rope snare was cut off of the struggling limb. Not even a second had passed before the once frantically struggling child was already scrambling away from his rescuer. He did not get far.

With a loud cry the poor thing collapsed to the forest floor, clutching the foot that had not been in the trap. In all honesty, Rusl did not know how to react to this situation at all. He had no children of his own, he and his wife were still newlyweds. The man had no experience at all with anyone below 10 and he was still very, very stunned to discover a random boy in the middle of nowhere. Hundreds of questions about this strange occurence rushed through his addled brain. Yet, despite his own confusion and uncertainty he had jumped up when the child cried out, the noise snapping him out of it.

Acting without thought he crouched down next to the still terrified boy to examine his foot. It was caked in mud, the only boot he had was on the other foot. Despite the mud Rusl could see that there were thorns all over it, red was mixed in with the mud everywhere. Another factor that shocked him was the size of the foot and ankle, while it should've been small like the other one it was large and puffy, obviously extremely swollen.

Ignoring the quick, frightened breathing of the younger, he asked the first questions on his mind.

"What happened to you? Where are your parents?"

No response.

Rusl looked up from the horrid sight of the mangled appendage and into the boy's face. His eyes widened. This wasn't just a normal child. This was a /Hylian/. Pointed ears, slanted eyes, sharp features. There was no mistaking it. It would be surprising to see another /grown human/ where he was. But a Hylian? A young Hylian?! That was /far/ beyond surprising.

"By the Goddesses! You're a Hylian! What in the world are you doing out here?! Where are your parents?! Why are you all the way in the middle of nowhere?!"

All Rusl recieved in response was a whimper and the boy's face being hidden by his arms. The child was scared of him. Of /him/. That day was getting more and more interesting. He was struggling to process it all. A honey-blonde, /Hylian/, child was in the middle of the woods with a possibly broken foot and he was absolutely terrified of the person that had helped him. It was so bizarre to poor Rusl, it was utterly unbelievable, the odds impossible if anything!

The wounded boy continued to cower. By the looks of it, he appeared to be much younger than 10 years of age, but older than 3 or 4. He was small, making him look more like 3 or 4, but Rusl doubted the poor thing was that young. Trying a different approach, he asked the questions again, but in a much softer and gentler tone. It would do no good to further terrify the boy.

The older man was rewarded with the child lowering his arms. The wavering, hoarse voice of the boy surprised him. He had not expected the small Hylian to sound like that. Unfortunately, Rusl couldn't understand him. Barely at all. No, it wasn't the roughness of the voice, but rather what he said. It was almost unfamiliar to him. Luckily the time he had spent in service taught him that there were many types of Hylians. The most unusual being the ones that lived far west, just barely within the borders, they were the farthest away from Central Hyrule. They spoke a different type of Hylian, an older, more prestigious kind. That's what the child spoke, mixed with broken Central Hylian. Could the whole situation get anymore strange?

"Oh, Din. I don't know what you are saying. Can you even understand me?" He had to find a way to get /some/ answers at least. "Er, if you do understand me, do this." He nodded his head in demonstration. Sweet Nayru he hoped the boy could understand. He wouldn't be able to help him if he was too scared to cooperate.

A thousand thanks went to the Goddesses as the boy nodded hesitantly. Rusl let out a sigh of relief. "Do you know where your parents are? Do this if you don't." He shook his head to show the younger what to do. The sooner the swordsman found the parents, the better.

No response. Back to square one.

Rusl groaned internally. Perhaps he didn't get his question. The boy was still trembling, eyes never focusing on one thing. Before he asked another one the older man glanced at the sky through the thick layers of tree branches. It was growing later than he thought. He had to get the boy somewhere safe so he could help him.

"I'm not going to hurt you, I promise. You have to trust me, alright? I can help you if you let me, we need to get somewhere safe first. My village is nice, they won't hurt you either. Will you let me take you there?"

No response. Rusl was about to give up on communicating with the boy when he nodded.

"Great. Do you think you can walk?" If he couldn't, Rusl could carry him, though it would be difficult.

The boy nodded quickly, a glint of anxiety flashed in the blue irises. It appeared that he didn't want to be carried anyway.

"Here, let me clean up your foot first. It's going to hurt a bit, got it?"

This time apprehension followed the nod. Though the boy couldn't communicate verbally, he spoke just as much with his eyes than anything. Sympathy lanced through Rusl's heart, the little thing was so vulnerable and scared, he could see the constant fear within them. He pulled out his water skin and took off the fabric tied around his head, dousing it in water. Once it was soaked he offered the skin to the child. The boy reached for it carefully at first then snatched it away as though afraid Rusl would change his mind. Greedily, he gulped down as much water as he could without choking before handing the skin back. He then eyed the wet fabric, tense at the thought of the approaching pain.

With as much gentleness as he could muster, Rusl started to wipe away the abundant amount of bloodied mud and thorns. He tried to ignore the pained, scrunched up expression the Hylian was making. He felt truly sorry for him, it did not seem fun at all. He poured a little bit more water on the fabric to rinse it off then continued until he could see the full glory of the swollen, cut up foot. He really wished the child could tell him what happened, but so far only yes or no questions would have to do. Carefully, he cleaned up the kid's hands as well, there were cuts on them too. He then proceeded to tie the mostly clean fabric onto the foot, it would help at least a little in preventing more pain. Despite the overall craziness of the situation, Rusl wanted to do what he could to help. It was just how he was as a person.

"All done. You ready?"

Another nod followed by an attempt to stand. Note: attempt. If Rusl wasn't there to catch him he would have fallen. "You may not like it, but it looks like I'm going to have to carry you."

Little eyebrows furrowed and the classic child pout appeared on the younger's face. He let out an anxious sigh before finally accepting his fate with a nod. Rusl readjusted his bow so the wood faced his front and wouldn't dig into his "passenger". Patting his own back, the swordsman made sure he was low enough for the boy to jump on. The Hylian hesitated at first, he was quite an anxious little one. Once they were both secure, Rusl stood, extremely surprised at how light the other was. He was nothing but bones! It was no struggle at all to carry him along the path and back to the village.

"Before we get back to my village, I need your name. Mine's Rusl and I have a wife named Uli." Attempted levity floated in his tone. He could feel the racing heart and fast breathing of the boy hanging on his back. He was trying to lighten the mood a bit, get him to relax.

"...Link."

"Ah, so that's your name?"

An affirmative grunt was his answer.

"It's a nice name, that's for sure."

Silence followed shortly after. The only sounds being the warm quick breaths on Rusl's neck and the crunching of an assortment of underbrush, leaves, and twigs. The day was passing quickly, the sun kissing the boughs of the trees above their heads. Picking up the pace he prayed that they would arrive on time before dark. Hopefully Uli would forgive him for missing dinner and returning with no game. Hopefully.

At last Rusl walked through the ever-open front gates of the village, the moon was barely showing it's platinum head through dark storm clouds. The boy, Link, was asleep on his back. The only thing keeping him from sliding off was the man's tight grip on the small arms. The younger appeared to be quite exhausted. Rusl himself was feeling quite knackered as well, more than ready to relieve his shoulders and spine then roll into bed.

The only lantern that was lit in the village was the one within the humble home he shared with his beautiful wife. His wife! For Farore's sake he hadn't even thought about how she would react! Especially whether or not she would be alright having a dirty kid sleeping in their home! He was in for an earful of lectures, he just knew it. He and Uli hadn't even thought about having kids and there he was bringing one home without any warning. At least the little Hylian wouldn't be staying for long if he could help it. That brought a little bit of solace.

With his hands preoccupied in his duty of holding Link up, he knocked on the wooden door with his foot. He was trying to avoid waking his passenger as well. Almost immediately the door swung open, revealing a cross looking blonde woman, her arms folded and mouth open to make a remark. Whatever she was going to chew Rusl out for died on her lips. She saw the bony arms her husband had grasped in his hands and strung over his shoulders. She ushered him inside swiftly, her eyes on the limp boy being laid on their bed.

"Rusl..." again words failed her, she was stunned. Even more so to see the obviously pointy ears on the child's head.

"I'll explain in a minute. I just need to check him over for any more injuries." He had little time to check. The boy didn't trust him enough to be poked and prodded by the older man for injuries. He had to do it then.

With as much gentleness as he could procure in his tired state, Rusl searched carefully for further injuries. The only obvious one was the Hylian's badly sprained ankle. At least it wasn't broken. Many other cuts and bruises covered him, but none appeared serious. Once the swordsman was certain there were no other bad injuries he wrapped the bad ankle properly.

Once Rusl was done attending to Link he turned to his wife. He expression spoke of confusion, concern, and the obvious demand for an explanation. She was not pleased, but her concern overrode everything else. Rusl started to explain what happened, pausing to answer a few of her questions. "His name is Link. Yes, Link. No, I don't know where his parents are.", "Yes, he appears to be alright. Just a sprained ankle and a variety of cuts and bruises. Overall he's fine, though it seems he's terrified of people.", "He doesn't speak Central Hylian, but he understands it pretty well.", "I'm pretty sure he's from the far west region of Hylia." "Yes.", "No", "Yes, yes." The list of questions went on, a lot of the answers Rusl didn't know.

Finally Uli went silent, allowing Rusl to rest. His muscles cried out whenever he moved and his stomach voiced its abuse. He scrounged up what meager scraps of food he had left in his pack, then sat down in his chair to eat. While he did so he kept his attention focused on his wife and Link from the corner of his eye.

The scruffy kid probably went through a lot to end up in the woods alone. The thought was... depressing to say in the least. Had his parents abandoned him? Did he run away? Maybe they had abused him? Too many questions lay unanswered. Either way, Rusl had found him lost and all by himself and covered in cuts, bruises, and scrapes. The whole situation was baffling, even why the swordsman felt to bring him home was a mystery to himself. He felt impressed to take care of the boy when he found them. The feeling came almost out of nowhere then.

Tiredness pulled at Rusl, making his face feel stretched low and his appendages heavy. He was hardly even aware of how tired he was. Sleep beckoned to him, not even letting him think about getting somewhere more comfortable than his chair. He had finished his food and with nothing keeping him awake he dozed off in the chair. He was far too tired to really care.

When Uli turned to ask her husband another question, she discovered that he was fast asleep. A small smile graced her features. Oh, that man. He always seemed to get into things way over his head. This situation was no exception. He had worn himself out over it already. She gently placed a blanket around him then glanced to the boy in the only bed they had. Her eyes were drawn once again to the skinny appearance of the Hylian. She grabbed 3 blankets, all of which she placed on him. They didn't have much, but he had less. It was only right to do what they could for him.

The process of tidying took no time at all. Rusl's gear was placed in the back, the water skin hung by the door, and the fire tended to. Before long, Uli lay in a makeshift bed of her own clothes and few extra pillows on the floor. She had one blanket drawn around her. Despite her uncomfortable position and her slight frustration with her husband, she couldn't bring herself to complain in he slightest. Rusl was an honorable man and she trusted him to do the right thing. Honour is not found in the slaughtering of others. He had done that as a soldier, the memories haunted him continuously. No, this was honour, true and firm in its own goodness.

To say she was proud didn't do it justice. Not in he slightest.

A/N Credit to artist of he cover. Yes, I know the fanfic cover image isn't working out super well and stuff. I'm going to hopefully get around to drawing a cover for it. I'm still getting used to digital so whether or not I do it on paper or on my tablet I'm not sure. This fic isn't going to be super long, the next one (Captivity) may be around ten or more chapters. This one is probably going to be around 5. If you guys want it to be longer just review or PM me. Thanks for reading this! Have a good day! (Also sorry for taking so long, I was gonna update with RS, but I never got around to actually finishing it). Next chapter will be longer too, RS will hopefully be as well. I always try to keep them short, but I know some of you like them long.


	2. Ch 2 Something to Lean On

A/N Sorry! I really did mean to write this earlier, but oh well. Also, sorry to everyone who reviews my fanfics cause I am TERRIBLE at replying. I'm not just bad at replying to reviews and stuff, but everything in general. I once lost 50 points in my Med Program because I forgot to reply to something or whatnot concerning an essay. (Killed my grade a bit). Same for Spanish. I lost 100 points (A FULL TEST GRADE) because I forgot to check my email (kind of a long story). So don't feel bad if I don't reply, youre appreciated, I just really really REALLY suck at responding. (Excuses excuses, I know. It's true tho. Sadly)

On another note: I decided to make this longer than 5 chapters. Not by requests or anything, just because I really wanna line of one-shots following this story. Besides, who doesn't love young Link? Lol I'd write them anyway even if no one was interested.

I'm gonna chat a bit more, so if you wanna go and read the chapter already that's fine by me. Since I'm adding lil one-shots onto this after the main story is done I'll be starting Captivity around the time it ends. As in before the one-shots. Not after. That would take too long and I've been dying to finish polishing it in order to post it. Captivity will be much longer. I was gonna make RS about 8 chapters long but NOPE. At least you guys like it. So expect Captivity's "10 chapter" length to expand much more than that. As for this and its one-shots, if it never ends that's fine. As long as I have ideas it'll stay alive. (Meaning: maybe 5 other chapters. MAYBE)

Alright, looks like I'm done here, but I can assure you there'll be more at the bottom. Enjoy!

Chapter 2

Something was wrong. Creaks and groans accompanied Rusl's awakening. Joints and muscles protested painfully at being moved, his body sore and making it known. Another thing was off, but he just couldn't place it...he wasn't able to remember what exactly. First thing he noticed upon opening his eyes was the lack of light, sure there was some, but not much. Little glimmers would be a better way to describe the rising sun. Of course, sitting in his wooden chair with stiff joints didn't escape his mind. He was awake approximately an hour before he would usually wake up, which was odd. So what had awoken him?

Then he noticed the answer to his question.

Shrouded almost completely by the shadows, a boy was crouched in the corner. Midnight blue irises turned a pale turqoise in the light of the rising sun and dying moonlight. Anxiety. Fear. Both raged within the eyes of the hiding Hylian. They stared at each other, the swordsman's eyes locked with the younger's. Bravery, courage, it came out of nowhere. It happened so quickly.

Jumping up suddenly most likely did not feel at all pleasant to him. Before Rusl could even react, the small child had already hopped to the door, throwing it open. Launching out of his seat the man swooped the boy up.

"You're not going to be harmed here. You're saf-ack!" One of the struggling limbs collided with his jaw, clacking his teeth together. "You need time to recover, there's no way you'd make it far on that foot." Rusl's explanation to the squirming Hylian did little to hinder his efforts.

He plopped Link onto the bed. Said child was not having it, his eyebrows furrowed and arms crossed, sitting on the bed quite reluctantly. Confusion stirred in Rusl briefly. Why was he so determined to leave? Sure he was in an unfamiliar place, but he was safe. Besides, usually someone so young would want to stay put with such an injury, not try to escape from the people that helped them. Puzzled at the child's behaviour, he moved to close the door, all the while keeping an eye on him. Once the door was shut he moved back to the bed where grumpy Link had thankfully remained.

"You must be hungry. Usually I wait for my wife to wake up, but I have a feeling she won't mind us eating without her." He smiled kindly as he spoke, the more comfortable he could make the atmosphere the better. His jaw still smarted a bit, but being angry with the child would be counterproductive.

At the mention of food the other perked up, annoyance at being confined to a house forgotten. Rusl pulled out two wooden platters and placed them on the table, still keeping a close eye on him. Bread, dried fruit, and some cheese was pulled from where Uli stored the supplies. It was divided up between both of them. Upon remembering how skinny Link was, he set some extra chunks of food on the Hylian's platter. The very second he placed the food in front of both of him it started disappearing.

Shifting and anxious eyes scanned around instead of remaining on the food. One bony arm was placed in front of the plate protectively, food disappearing fast. Link had a wild look to him, the wild that follows when one isn't sure when their next meal will be. Unrestrained wild, it felt wrong seeing it out of nature. Even though Rusl knew the boy was hungry, he couldn't let him eat like that, he would get sick.

"Slow down a bit, alright? It's your food now, I won't take it." the swordsman gave him more space, trying to show he meant what he said.

To Rusl's relief, Link listened. Relaxing slightly, the younger slowed down, but the wild look remained. Once the man was sure the other was feeling more comfortable he took a clay cup and filled it with water. The liquid disappeared faster than the food did. Sitting down to his own meal, Rusl continued to keep his attention focused. Once fed and watered, the odd urge to run away may become more prominent. Luckily it appeared as if the hungry kid had made up his mind to stay in the house for the moment. Food is a good motivator.

More light started to flood the room, particles of dust could be seen through the bright pillars. Both platters empty and stomachs full, the sunrise managed to catch the attention of man and child. Unaware of Link's interest in the morning light, Rusl assumed that he was just watching it by himself from the window. It really was stunning. Being too short to actually see out the window properly, the poor child spread his fingers upon the windowsill, attempting to pull himself up to see out. That's when the older man noticed something. What appeared to be a brand was in the center of one of the small hands. It was faint, unnoticeable unless in the right lighting. Curiosity peeked in the swordsman's mind just as how the sun did over the horizon. The mark looked familiar, as though he should remember what it meant; he quickly dismissed the brand-like mark for the moment. It could be dealt with later. He got a chair for the younger to stand on, if he was interested in the sunrise, Rusl wouldn't hinder that fascination.

Obligations are easily avoided or forgotten when one wants to. Especially any obligations that would involve having to wake a certain recovering Mayor. Recovering as in emotionally so. Bo had lost his wife to illness that winter. She was a wonderful woman and well-loved by the entire village. Unfortunately, it appears that the Goddesses have to take even the best of people from the mortal realm. Reluctance to inform the Mayor of the "new arrival" was also in part to the fact Link couldn't be left alone. He glanced at his wife's sleeping form on the hard floor. Waking Uli to watch over the boy probably wouldn't be a bright idea. Not because she would be mad, but there is a fine line between feeding a malnourished child enough versus too much.

Awe was still radiating from the boy standing on the chair, injured foot holding little to no weight. More sunlight meant the sooner other villagers would wake up. Rusl could very well wait until they were, but decided against it. If Link had to stick around for awhile, he might as well show the curious little thing the village before more strangers started to be up and about. Eyes scanning the room, the man spotted the broken chair he had been meaning to fix. Tucked away in the corner it rested, wood warped and legs detached. That would work. With the younger being distracted by the sun and outside world, he went to work. It hardly took any time at all to form a makeshift, child-sized crutch from the legs.

By the time he finished the crutch, light had almost filled the room to the brink. Rusl strode over to the boy on the chair, resting a hand on his bony shoulder. Though it was not his intent to frighten Link, the scraggly little thing still jumped in fright, flinching away violently. If it weren't for the hand on his shoulder, the Hylian would've fallen off of the chair. Apologizing immediately, the swordsman steadied the youth.

"I didn't mean to startle you. I figured you'd appreciate being able to walk around a bit. Here, I hope this suits you well." He handed the makeshift crutch to Link after helping him down from the chair.

While timidity was not new to Rusl, he had never quite seen the type that boy had. To say it was uncommon was no lie. How could a living thing hold both a timorous gaze within irises of courage? Even with fear woven into the Hylian's very countenace, he took the crutch with a tenacious hold, ready to go out into a completely unfamiliar village with a strange man. It was... admirable. Struggling with the rough chair legs, said youth followed the swordsman out of the house and down the path.

Keeping an eye on a small, injured boy was quite easy. It seemed that the younger had given up any thought of escaping by that point which was good news to Rusl. Even though knowledge concerning children that age was lacking on his part, he felt he was doing well in dealing with the current situation. Injuries, fear, and pain did little to hinder Link's obvious curiosity, head swiveling and eyes alert in wonder, he gazed upon the small village in the growing sun. Beauty not going unnoticed by someone so young was also rare. Very few children would be able to appreciate the world at that age. Rusl knew such things from observing Bo's child, Ilia, interact with her surroundings. Same for Fado, the child of the village goatherders, who was only a couple years older than the Mayor's daughter. More and more aspects about that scruffy Hylian continued to intrigue the swordsman. Speaking of scruffy: Rusl would need to find the child some clean clothes. That could be dealt with later though. First, a miniature tour for the poor thing. After that he could take care of Link better.

Sun continued to flow through the trees and onto the ground as Rusl's "tour" ended. The main reason to show Link around was to make sure he felt more comfortable there and to allow the Mayor a chance to awaken. He did not need to be the one to bother the man so early in the morning. He'd allow the young (nearly) 5 year old girl to wake her father up. That way any anger at being bothered would be dampened. Definitely the better option. Soft panting could be heard by the swordsman's side, they really needed to stop soon if the Hylian was already getting worn out by the short walk. Children are known for bouncing back from injuries and such, faster than adults, but recovery was still important. So, that was the final indicator that they needed to go to the Mayor.

Rusl didn't know what to expect from the small boy by his side. The house had to be the largest building in the village, the largest building for miles if you didn't count those old Temples in the woods. Stepping onto the porch, he looked down upon the injured child for a reaction. Nothing new. Mild and constant fear still glowed around him, but there was no change. That got the man thinking as he knocked on the door; Had the Hylian grown up in a large village? Having only served in Central Hyrule, Rusl couldn't be sure if there were many villages at all in the West. He was only aware of how determined the people were when it came to distancing themselves from outsiders, that and the fact they spoke a very different version of Hylian. Their culture was odd and foreign despite still being part of main Hyrule. A lot of things were confusing and difficult to understand, especially at that moment.

Unaware of how long it took for Bo to answer the door, the creak of old hinges snapped Rusl out of his thoughts. It took a single glance at the Hylian next to the swordsman's side to shut the Mayor's inquisitive expression down. Turning to surprise, questions were pushed aside for the time being.

"Mayor Bo, this is Link. We need to talk."

Silence was Rusl's only answer for a second before the other man moved aside, allowing entry to the warm home. Surprise and curiosity were still prominent on Bo's tired face. Though he was struggling to understand any bit of the new information, the Mayor still noticed his daughter peering around the corner nearby. He excused himself for a second, closing the door and wandering over to where Ilia was, he shooed her away (much to her protest). Whatever was going on didn't require her at the moment, he could explain some things to her later. Upon returning to the main room, he studied both of the people standing in front of him.

"Care to tell me what's going on?"

Explaining the situation so far involved just as many questions being asked as it did when Rusl had first spoken with Uli. That time, though, Link was awake. The poor, skittish, Hylian boy was being practically bombarded by questions. Luckily, attempts at being gentle and unthreatening were made. While Rusl knew the child could speak, it appeared as though the younger would always make an effort not to. Occasionally both he and Bo would recieve no answers or an uncertain head shake of 'yes' or 'no'. Such questions that lay unanswered often concerned Link's parents or his home. Eventually the questions stopped, much to the youth's relief. After the "interrogation" ended, Bo pulled Rusl aside to analyze what they had.

"Rusl, I don't think he has any parents. Whenever we brought them up he'd look away or something." Bo whispered quietly to him.

"That makes sense, but surely he has a family of some sort. How else would he end up so far from the West Region? He might've been seperated from them, or maybe, yknow...abandoned." he responded, just as quiet.

Meanwhile, Link was shifting uncomfortably in the chair they had sat him in. He looked more timid than he had before, borderline trembling. Glancing over at him, Rusl realized they might've been too overbearing. So many answers had remained in mystery that he and Bo had probably gone overboard. Guilt stirred the swordsman's stomach. Poor boy, seemingly parentless and evidently lost, ages away from his home, he was stuck with 2 men that wouldn't stop bothering him. Wounded and scared, he remained just visible out of the corner of Rusl's eye. Bo started to speak again, but the sound bounced uselessly away from the other man, focus stuck on the child nearby. Ignoring the distant protest to his departure, he made his way to the Hylian. Actions that didn't seem quite like his own brought the youth into an embrace. Tense at first at the suddenness of it all, said youth sat rigid, breath hitched. Hardly a second had passed before small shoulders relaxed, fragile hands grasped folds of the swordsman's shirt in response.

Such movement had felt involuntary and sudden, but necessary nonetheless. Bo stood about three yards away, jaw slack at the sight. Link still held onto Rusl, trembles drifting from the skinny form. Rusl remained there as well, crouched to his level, strong and unmoving. A solid wall to lean on.

"You'll be okay."

Again, it felt out of nowhere. Yet, it was needed. Needed by the trembling, scared, and young Hylian. So young and frightened. While it had been so very sudden, it seemed to work best. Rusl could already feel more trust being placed upon him. That's what the boy needed. He didn't need strange men asking him too many questions, he needed somebody to lean on. That's what he recieved right then. Out of thin air, a place to find solace.

Only when Link let go, did Rusl end the embrace. Sitting straighter than he had before, the Hylian had a different light to him. No trembling was present, timidity remained, but barely.

"Better?"

A single nod was given in response to Rusl's question. The man smiled kindly at the child before turning back to Bo. Surprise and respect had a firm grip on the other man's face, uncertainty in his posture. He stood there, questions writing themselves across his forehead before he could finally spit one out.

"How did you know to do that?"

Rusl shrugged, he didn't know. It had felt like the right thing to do, just as it had been the day before. He had felt impressed to take care of the boy, so he did. That care appeared to extend to being able to calm Link. Caring for the Hylian felt natural. If he could comfort a suffering child, he would. Comforting one successfully felt great as well, seeing the boy's fear gradually dissipate and his body relax was worth it. Soon enough, Rusl's attention was brought to the Mayor.

"We need to send a letter to the Castle or something. Maybe they can locate Link's home, family, anything. It's better than nothing." Bo had a good point, the sooner they got the Hylian somewhere safe and familiar, the better.

"Good idea. I'll be back later today and we can write it, does that sound alright? I think I should probably take him back to my house for the time being."

A glance toward the boy showed that Rusl really had worn him out with the short walk around the village. Bo nodded in understanding. Now that Link was slightly more comfortable, he had started to drift off in the chair. Lots of recovery was certainly required for that child. Walking over to the boy, the swordsman helped him get to the door and down the porch steps. Tired thuds accompanied each time the crutch hit the ground. Down the path and along the creek, all the way back to Rusl's house, Link's eyes struggled to stay open. Once his head rested on a soft pillow and warm blankets were tucked snuggly around, the fight to stay awake ceased.

A fond smile graced the past-soldier's face. Maybe, just maybe, he and Uli could discuss having children in the near future. For the time being, they could take care of a Hylian boy, but once he was returned to the West they could talk. At that moment, his wife slept on and so did the mysterious boy. Everything seemed so at peace. Serene. Yes, maybe one day he and Uli would have a child to call their own.

One day.

A/N This took forever! I meant to post on Monday this week, I swear! I kept getting caught up with stuff and once I finally started getting time I caught a cold. Usually a cold=YAY more freetime, but nope. I only have nighttime pills at the moment. So it's 1 AM (again) and I'm struggling to stay awake as I present to you this halfbaked chapter. (There was gonna be so much more, hnnnnng). Next chapter will be better. I hope you guys enjoyed this, criticism is welcome (since I'm too dead to do much like edit right now). The next chapter of RS will (hopefully) be up tomorrow, but perhaps not. Chapter 3 for this one (maybe) next Thursday. 


	3. Ch 3 Solace and Storms

A/N Hi guys! I should've started typing earlier. Oh well. Today is Thursday and I'm just starting this now. Oops. Well, hopefully I'll be able to finish this by tonight.

I got a new device to work on! If I can focus enough then I should be able to write a lot more. That also means my writing program is better (FINALLY). Then again, getting used to it has been a challenge. (Of course it has, I only got it yesterday). Typing feels so slow now though. I'll get used to it at least.

I hope you enjoy this chapter! If you follow Restless Spirits, I'll be updating that soon as well.

Chapter 3

With the village awakening and work to be done, Rusl realized he couldn't stay in his home forever. He had things to do. The first of which being Link's obvious need for new clothes. Getting clothes for him wouldn't actually be that difficult. Fado was much larger than the fragile little boy in the swordsman's house. A growing child was bound to have clothes that no longer fit. Hopefully the family would be willing to part with them.

Leaving his house proved to be harder than he thought. With his wife and the child still asleep, hesitancy marred his steps.

Luck must have been on his side. At the sound of the resounding creak of old hinges, Uli woke. Her soft, relaxed hands rubbed her eyes as she sat up. Spotting her husband by the open door, her movements ceased.

"Where are you going?"

A whining creak echoed softly through the otherwise silent home as Rusl shut the door. "I figured I could get him some clothes." As he mentioned Link, he nodded toward the little mound under the covers.

Uli's eyes widened briefly before she recalled the night before. That poor little darling. She nodded in acknowledgement at what Rusl said, sitting up some more while lost in thought. The boy really did need better clothes. While the fabric appeared to have been good quality, it no longer was. Just a glance was suffice to see the damage. Holes riddled it and any colour besides muddy brown was faded. After they got better clothes, Uli would be able to see if any of it was salvageable. Another glance told her it would work better as rags than clothing.

Rusl noticed his wife's distant look. She was very gentle and caring, that he knew. Barely married a couple months ago and a child falls in their laps. He would think that she was overwhelmed, but that didn't seem like her.

"Uli," her name felt sweet on his tongue as always, "I know this may be a bit much to ask, but would you mind keeping an eye on Link? He tried to run earlier this morning. Oh, and he's already eaten breakfast so please don't feed him too much if he wakes up."

A polite nod and smile was her response. It almost went unheeded as something else prowled his mind. That felt…odd. Concern had slipped into his tone. Such concern brought up memories of his own father, or of Bo interacting with Ilia. Natural concern, yes. That's what it felt like. For the time being, he shrugged it off, setting it aside to observe later. At the moment he needed to finish his task. His eyes flicked toward the boy once again as he opened the door. That Hylian needed his help, and he was going to give it willingly.

Stepping back out into the fresh air was a relief. Scents of wildflowers, grass, and wet dust fluttered to him. Taking deep breaths felt as though each inhale was tangible, the smells and air so wholesome. Walking towards the ranch on the hill did not weaken those smells. The only change being the musty, acrid scent of goats. Dust billowed out from under his feet in little sand storms. Greens decorated the sides of the path, bright or pale, flowered or not. Within the sky, serpentine-like tendrils of blue writhed in layers above his head. So many different stimuli at once. Senses wild. Goddesses, he loved it. Reaching his destination almost felt disappointing. That is, until he remembered why he was there. Scarcely familiar care and concern floated back, lighting upon his mind as a butterfly, delicate. Fleeting.

He approached the small shack near the barn. Rusl was aware that the family that lived there already had very little. Asking for something precious such as clothing could very well be too much. Yet, he was fully prepared to pay for them. Even if they didn't need it, he was willing to. That thought strengthened as he rapped upon the door, splinters piercing his knuckles. They stung, but he would deal with them later.

Just as he drew his hand back from the door, the sounds of groaning hinges met his ears. A small, rounded face peered through the opening. Curious eyes peered at him.

"Hello Fado. Are your parents up?"

Groaning hinges swung shut. He guessed they probably weren't awake yet then. Leaving seemed like a good plan, until the door opened again. A very scruffy and worn woman stood where Fado had before.

"Oh! Good morning Rusl, what brings you here?" her inquiry was chirpy despite how gruff and powerful she appeared.

"It's a bit of a long story, but I do have a request. Do you, by chance, have any clothes that don't fit your son anymore?" compared to her bright voice, his was gravelly and hesitant, "I will pay whatever you need for them. I have the money." He added as an afterthought.

She paused, a thoughtful look on her face.

"Hmm… I turned most of them into a quilt, but I may have a few laying around." With that, she dismissed herself and entered her humble home.

It took awhile for her to return. He didn't mind waiting outside. It was doubtful that there would even be enough room for another person in such a small place. So, he was patient. Several minutes passed before the door opened again. A triumphant smile rested on her face, 2 pairs of old and worn clothes resting on her arm. In her hands were grasped 4 holey boots, thankfully repairable.

A large, grateful smile decorated his own face. "Thank you so much," Rusl pulled a few rupees from his wallet, "Here, I hope this is enough"

The herdswoman smiled and shook her head politely. "You don't need to pay me Rusl, I have all that I need."

His protests and insistence on payment went unheeded. Once she finally got him to be silent, she bid him goodbye and closed the door, leaving Rusl in the cool morning air. His jaw slack and rupees loose in his palm. Reluctantly, he turned his feet back down the path.

As he neared his home with clothes in hand, he spotted Uli by the creek next to their house. Concern rippled through him again. Surely she should've been inside watching over Link, not outside washing platters and cups. Such concern was dampened. It was an exaggerated emotion, amplified by an odd sense of protection.

Approaching his home, his wife turned towards him.

"Don't worry sweetie, I've been keeping an eye on the door. He isn't even awake yet."

Thanking her briefly, he opened the door quietly. Unusual quietude met him instead of the typical creaks and groans. Then, he heard it. They were gentle. Muffled. So tiny and full of fright and sadness. The very sounds themselves appeared to be hiding, just as their creator was. Hiding beneath the covers of the bed. Not quite sobs, not quite sniffles, but more than simple tears. Such…pain. Rusl found himself stunned, standing within the pillars of light streaming into the door. Weight in each shallow, shuddering inhale surpassed the soft sounds of tears pattering onto rough fabric.

The Hylian had woken up. Alone. In an unfamiliar place, wounded and scared. Rusl had left him there. By himself. Guilt. Regret. Trauma already marked the boy's path. He needed support and care, the experience at Bo's proved that much. Closing the door finally caught Link's attention. Sniffles ceased, the lump under the covers left unmoving.

More soft creaks accompanied each one of Rusl's steps. Short distance covered in few strides. He was uncertain of what to do, his hand hovering over the hiding boy. He cared, but perhaps…not enough. Not enough to know what to do. Still, he tried. He placed a hand on the trembling back, tense under his touch.

At the disturbance, Link poked his head out from under the piles of fabric, tear-made trenches in the dirt on the gaunt cheeks. That was another thing they would have to take care of, he required a bath almost as much as comfort. Upon seeing Rusl, that frightened little boy shied away, just an inch. A miniscule bit. Other than that he didn't move. Timid, flitting eyes scanned the man. Within them something akin to trust drifted, an incandescent spark from a flame that had yet to grow larger. The boy leaned into his touch after that, allowing and even welcoming the following embrace.

Uli found them like that, some time later. She dared not disturb them, silent tears were flowing from the Hylian and her husband looked so tranquil and caring. The hard soldier he had once been left behind, memories and hauntings in the past. Having left the clean platters and cups on the table, she left the house as quietly as she could.

Minutes passed. Tear wells nearly exhausted, emotions worn thin, Link let go and Rusl did as well. Tenderly.

A mumble came from the younger. At first Rusl thought he imagined it, having only heard the hoarse and unused voice the first time he met him. The moment it took for him to process the single word, he found that he recognized it. Simple and clear. A cognate, similar in old and new Hylian. It meant what it sounded like. 'Stolen'. His mind turned over and over as Link kept his head bowed and unmoving. What did the word 'Stolen' have to do with this boy? Confused, he carefully asked the Hylian what he meant.

"What do you mean? What's been stolen?" he kept his tone hushed and gentle, hoping the boy would try to speak again.

A drawn out pause followed his question. Link kept looking around, but not lifting his head at all, just moving his eyes. Then, he pointed. Not at anything particular at first, another moment passed before he moved his hand again. He was pointing at his ragged clothes? No, Rusl realized the child was pointing at himself.

That brought on more confusion.

"What? I don't understand."

Again the hand pointed towards the boy sitting on the in bed with him.

"I'm sorry, I don't get what you mean. Are you saying you have stolen?" Rusl truly did not know what the other meant, it was beyond him.

A sharp, frustrated head shake was the response to the swordsman's question. For the third time, the Hylian pointed towards himself, frustration showing through.

Finally, he got it. "Wait, are you saying that _you_ were stolen?"

Relief at being understood was dampened by a rush of resignation. A kind only spotted in those who realize their fate is sealed. Rusl watched Link nod once, eyes dark again, sullen thoughts could almost be seen drifting through the blue. Drifting like ominous storm clouds on a once clear and shining night sky. Stars of hope drowned out, the moonlight of life hidden behind layer upon layer of fat clouds. Clouds ready to release themselves from the heavens. To pour down upon those unfortunate enough to be out in the world. And they did. Those dark clouds were determined to squeeze every last drop out. Even with Rusl attempting to comfort the boy, the tears kept rolling. Claps of thunder were instead replaced by hiccups. Fierce winds the shuddering breaths of a suffering youth.

There was no rainbow after the storm. No bright light of the sun. Just the moonlight of sputtering trust, peeking through the clouds. It stayed, even as the exhausted Hylian boy laid his head to rest once again. Building trust for that strange man. Building even in sleep.

A calm in the storm. A ray in the pain. Solace. Comfort. That's what Link needed. That's what Rusl was willing to give.

A/N Oops, updating the night after I promised this chapter. Sorry. Hope you enjoyed it though, RS chapter 13 will hopefully be up by tonight. This new device is hard to get used to. I also got a new charger for my tablet so that's good. I'll see you next Chapter! Bye! ( i really really gtg to bed, I am so sorry Gailux. I'm not used to having a beta, otherwise I would've planned better. Next time I'll be able to send it to you. Rn I really gotta sleep) Good night everyone!


	4. Ch 4 Protect

A/N Hi everyone, sorry again for the late update. Life's been a bit chaotic, but nothing I can't handle. I've switched back to using my tablet currently. I'm gonna be emailing the story back and forth between my devices, might be a bit difficult, but we'll see how it turns out. (Edit: that did not turn out well, so it'll either be one or the other. Probably not my tablet anymore cause I lost 3 paragraphs due to me forgetting that Polaris does not automatically save. Sorry for taking so long btw, it's easier on the other device as I've discovered.)

Sorry again to those of you who message me. I forget super easily, multiple times in a row. Especially when I feel half dead from some sickness floating around (somehow I catch a lot of colds and stuff).

Good news is: I got a new dog! He has a cool name. I hope he gets along with the others. (Edit: I have found that sharing a bed is difficult. No more big burly dogs on my bed, thank you very much.)

GOOD NEWS INCLUDING YOU GUYS: Captivity chapter 1 is coming out this weekend! I hope you guys like it! I'm also gonna be finishing the epilogues for Restless Spirits around then, a lot of the people that read it requested one (or 2, I'm doing 2 by request). Don't worry, I'm announcing Captivity there too so all of the usual readers will know. (Edit: Captivity is coming out when it's coming out, I'm not sure when anymore. It's already Saturday and I still have the epilogues I need to finish so who knows when it'll come out).

More Good News: I've got a few requests, so I'll be announcing the order I'll be doing them in sometime soon. (All LoZ so far, I gotta mix things up a bit).

Final Edit: ARGH WHY MUST MY ELECTRONICS MESS THINGS UP

Everything was going so well and now I gotta fix it, sorry for the shorter chapter guys. Blame my tablet and computer. Hnnnng

* * *

Forever is a long time

To ponder, to cry.

A long time to forget

To live, to regret.

You lose faces,

And traces

Of names and crimes

To the passage of time.

Some things remain,

Such as the pain

Of the strikes and blows,

That few know.

Yet you remember,

For eternity, forever

What it means to be

Stripped, of humanity.

* * *

Chapter 4

One of the first things Rusl had taken into account was Link's flinching habit. He knew that whatever had happened to the boy was likely the cause of it. However, just knowing the cause of something doesn't mean anyone can fix it easily. The swordsman wished he could, it clenched his heart whenever a fast movement caused fear to spark in those blue eyes. His heart clenched even more when he realized the more vulnerable the Hylian felt, the more intense his reaction was. Rusl learned that the hard way, tears had finally run out and the small arms had released him. Deeming it time to end the embrace, he had removed his own arms and gotten up whilst stretching. Tired and worn, Link had immediately become alert, flinching away and hiding his tear-streaked face. It was heartbreaking.

Not knowing what to do at first, he stood there, eyes wide in surprise and concern molded his face. That's when he realized he had to be very careful with his movements around the Hylian. A hand raised higher than his own head meant little, often just someone stretching like he was, but a hand raised above Link's head...that meant pain. Chiseled, bit by bit, his soul ached in thought of what the boy must've gone through. Tenderness again took over his once hardened, soldier-like emotions. Sitting on the bed a second time, he attempted to find the right words.

"I promise that I will never hit you. I know you're scared and...um...you're safe here." he sighed, knowing how unconvincing his words sounded. "No one in this village will harm you."

Leaving what he said to sink in, he got up. Giving Link space seemed wise. Finally being able to remove the splinters from his hand, he did so, giving a sigh of relief when all of them were out. He kept his attention mostly away from the Hylian, only keeping an ear listening for noise. Briefly, Rusl's mind felt clouded. He forced himself to take a moment to breathe. It still seemed so bizarre that he was in such a situation. Overwhelming for sure.

Thoughts were scattered once Uli opened the door. Rusl took that oppurtunity as a chance to head back to Bo's house. Simply requesting that she help Link clean up while he was gone, the boy was still quite dirty. As the day progressed, the spring sun was bringing in more warmth. Across the village, he spotted a few of his fellow villagers. Right, they would find out eventually. Just...not then.

Bo welcomed him back inside the large house. There was something...new...about the Mayor. Ever since winter, the villagers had become accustomed to his gloom. They had tolerated his drinking; the cause of his excessive weight gain ever since his wife's passing. It did not matter to them that the meager supplies of rum disappeared, they had been concerned, but he had never gotten out of control. The duty of Mayor and fatherhood still rested upon him, a weight only he could bear well, still a leader despite his flaws. So they had let him be. Yet, there was a difference in he man with dark circles around his eyes the day before, a half-smile on his face as he watched Ilia and Fado play from the sidelines. A difference in his countenance ever since Rusl had brought that terrified little boy to the doorstep. Something good...a new light.

"Bo, you seem...different." he stated, taking the seat offered by the other.

"I feel different Rusl. After you left, all Ilia could talk about was Link and she only saw him once! We can help him, can't we?" that's what was new. Excitement, liveliness, a will to assist.

Rusl simply smiled, "Yes, we can help him. He'll be alright."

That got Bo beaming as well. The arrival of the Hylian appeared to have brought a good impact. Hopefully it would stay that way until the issue was fixed, allowing the child to return home. Link had said he was stolen, Rusl tried to avoid assuming the worst, but it likely meant the youth had been kidnapped. Dwelling on it only made it even more depressing than the thought was on its own. The sooner they contacted the castle on the matter, the better. Only they would know exactly where the western Hylians lived for sure.

Starting the letter was the easy part, filling the rest of it out was the challenge. Rusl and Bo spent much longer than necessary when writing out the middle. It didn't help that they still knew very little about the child either. Upon completing the letter, they both sat back and read it, charcoal smudges adorning their hands and even a little bit on their faces.

The letter itself explained the situation, every important detail of it. Ranging from finding the boy so far out in the woods, to the language Link spoke, his injuries, supposed age, everything. All the way down to the revelation that the Hylian had been stolen, likely from his home and family. Ending with a plea for assistance on the matter, that they might be able to locate the family, anything. It was read over again and again until both men were satisfied with their work. Bo took the letter and put it into a neat and tidy envelope, sealing it with the slightest bit of wax. Luckily, mail was quick, the mailman was thankfully proficient at his job. Not to mention easy to find, in fact, he was already making his rounds nearby, they didn't have to wait long at all to send the letter on its way.

Feeling the excitement and happiness at being able to assist someone was contagious, Bo was buzzing with the energy of it all. Worries on the matter melted away from Rusl, there was hope for a lost Hylian boy. There was hope that everything would be alright. Childish glee over the good that can be done in the world. Sadly, a single letter can't always do much. Not much at all.

Speaking of childish glee, Ilia had been silently watching over her father. Watching him as he discussed with Rusl and wrote the letter on the flimsy parchment, stepping outside and sending it away with the strange man. Her interest in the pointy-eared boy had been piqued ever since she laid eyes on him. The nearly 5 year old girl had only seen the likes of him visiting the village a couple times, merchants selling all kinds of fancy trinkets and bobbles, food and knick knacks, all as foreign looking as the people themselves. Slanted eyes, pointy ears, oddly shaped faces, they were interesting, especially to a young girl who had yet to know the world. Ilia wanted to meet the quiet boy again, anyone could be her friend. Fado was fun to play with, but he was older and played a bit too rough. When she could, she would find a way to meet him.

Meanwhile, with that buisness taken care of, Rusl walked back to his house with energy in his step. Being able to help someone was always a good experience, especially for him. It was worth it. Soon, the boy could be on his way back to the West and hopefully back to his own family. Rusl had faith in the Royal Court, his loyalty whilst in service proved that much. If anyone could help a wayward Hylian child, it would be them. A smile rested on his face as he opened the door, it widened as said Hylian entered his sight.

Link was too small to properly fit in Fado's clothes, the shirt almost reached the middle of his thighs. The neck hole was too big, causing the shoulder to be exposed as it slipped down the frail little arm. Uli was fussing over him, trying in vain to fix it so that everything fit decently. The child himself looked fed up with it all, he was shifting uncomfortably in the pants that covered his feet and rubbing his eyes tiredly with his free hand, the other grasping his crutch loosely.

In the moment it took for Rusl to process it all, he let out a hearty laugh. "Uli, dear Uli, let the boy be." he exclaimed, chuckling while he hung up his coat, "I think he would appreciate it if we let him take another nap."

Both his wife and the boy's faces turned a bit red in embarrassment, mainly his wife's face, Link held gratitude on his. She stepped back and looked over the small amount of progress she made on the clothes before finally letting the exhausted youth crawl back onto their bed. Smiling sheepishly, she turned to her husband.

"You were gone for some time, did the letter turn out alright?"

Smile still broad on his charcoal smudged face, he nodded. "It sure did. Bo and I were pleased with how it turned out." he finished with a sigh, plopping onto the chair he had slept in the night before.

"That's wonderful! I really hope everything turns out alright." she exclaimed, softening her tone as she noticed how quickly Link had fallen asleep.

"So do I, no child should go through what he did." Rusl softened his tone as well, though a grin still stood its ground on his face.

Wooden groans rumbled through the chair as he stretched on it. The kinks in his body were stubborn, revenge against him for sleeping in an uncomfortable position. Once he was done, a damp rag was placed in his hand. Confused, he looked at his wife, her own fond grin prominent as she tapped the corner of her mouth. A soft giggle followed as he wiped his with the rag, charcoal dust dark against the light surface. It was his turn to be embarrassed.

"At least now I know how dedicated you were to writing that letter dear." she gave him a peck on the cheek before turning to the pot sitting on the fire.

Bless her heart, she had dinner already cooking while he was busy. Once he noticed the cooking stew, the smell of it became noticeable as well. Of course, one thing led to another and his stomach growled, reminding him that he had not eaten lunch. Then he remembered that perhaps Link had not eaten lunch either.

"Uli, did you give Link any lunch?"

"Of course I did, when I ate, he ate with me." her focus remained on the stew, stirring it and adding more dried vegetables and goat cheese.

Seeing how the little bit of meat being added reminded Rusl that he would need to go hunting and bring back something other than a hungry Hylian boy. He was relieved that Link had been fed, but a bit apprehensive about the amount of food they had left. Apprehensions quickly expanded once he realized that he would have to leave soon in order to gather and hunt for enough food to feed all three of them. Mail in Hyrule was fast, but it still took about a week to send something and get a response. Besides, the Court was a busy organization. While he wanted helping Link to remain the priority, food was more important. With luck he would be able to go back out within the next couple of days.

As soon as the stew was finished, 3 bowls had been placed at the table. Rusl was still lost in thought, and Link was still asleep. Not wanting to disturb the sleeping chid, she touched Rusl's arm, signaling that the food was ready. As he moved his chair back to the table, she filled his bowl first, setting it before him. Her's came second, she sat down next to him. Halfway through the meal he started discussing some of the things that she had yet to hear about Link. He kept it light at first, however, he had always confided in her about his worries and deep concerns.

"Bo and I also came to the possible conclusion that his parents are dead. It seems likely, but earlier Link told me that he had been stolen." his hand quavered, forcing him to put the spoon back in the bowl, "That means he must've been kidnapped...I-I don't know what to think about that. It's sad."

Uli had stopped eating as well, eyes focused on her husband's. They were downcast, empathetic and caring toward the boy they still knew very little about. He had always been tender, despite his hardened past. She reached out and grabbed his hand. The news was shocking to her. What kind of people would take a child from its home? For what purpose as well? It was inhumane. Nevertheless, she held her husband's warm hand. They were married for a purpose, to stand together against whatever life throws at them. Uli hadn't quite expected a foreign child to be thrown at them, but that's what they had each other for. She let silence reign, it seemed better that way. Silent affection, silent support.

Gratitude toward his wife remained silent as well. Never had Rusl felt so protective towards anyone than for his wife and that mysterious Hylian. It was new. So many things were new. He glanced toward the sleeping form on his bed. Yes, he felt protective. Odd and new, just like the concern he had felt, the responsibility of taking care of the child. Change was not always something he welcomed, but that change was different. Helping Link was a main priority after all. Leaving someone so young to fend for himself would be cruel, potential for a great life would be wasted. Such a frail child would die all alone. With those thoughts, Rusl's protectiveness felt justified. He wasn't just saving the potential for a great life, he was helping a scared, injured child. Being a soldier, saving lives by killing...that's not what he felt to be right. There was a difference between killing a beast to save a life, and killing a man to save one. Rusl didn't need to kill anyone to save someone, another new thing that was beyond welcome.

If he felt the need to protect Link, so be it, he would.


	5. Ch 5 A Home

A/N I am really, really sorry for not updating. My health has been super iffy, but I'm slowly getting better. My final exams are next week so I've also been busy with studying. I haven't been able to find motivation to write either, I'm not sure why. It's just been difficult. I want to get my fictionpress up and running a lot more, but I gotta finish this stuff first. I plotted the chapters out for this one, the 2nd epilogue for RS, and the 1st chapter of Captivity, but I haven't gotten around to writing them down. I started writing this chapter a week or so ago, but it got deleted. My files got screwed up by something and no matter what I tried, they wouldn't come back. At least I have the motivation to write currently, this author's note is being written on June 2. Let's see how fast I can get this chapter out. The poem at the beginning here wasn't written by me (of course), but I did alter it before. It was part of the reason I didn't want to write this chapter since IIo would have to find it and alter it _again._

 _IMPORTANT EDIT: I was going to have a series of one-two shots following this story, I_ _was_ _gonna just leave them in this story, but I decided to make them a sequel. This sequel is going to be called "In All but Blood" and it's going to be about Link growing up. I hope you guys like it, technically it can be a stand alone fanfic as well. I'm out of school so I hope I can get back into thee swing of things._

Anyway, enjoy this chapter. I am so sorry for taking so long. If you have finals too, I wish you luck. Stay safe everyone

It'll be hard to put my trust in you

Because I've been hurt in the past.

The constant doubt in the back of my mind

Thinking, "This affection, it won't last."

It'll be very difficult to give my all

being you could always leave and go.

But as time goes on and we grow close

Perhaps my trust for you will grow.

There is nothing wrong with you, it's me

Due to these trust issues I acquired.

Picture being taken from your home

And the only people you ever admired.

Now you know my situation,

See it from my point of view.

I just can't stand the pain again

My heart broken, cold, and blue.

Chapter 5

Impatience is a difficult thing to deal with, everyone has felt it. The impatience of feeling cooped up inside, of expecting something that may not arrive, of wanting days to go by faster than they are. For Rusl it was the wait for the letter and the increasing stress over their dwindling food supply. While he wanted to be there when the letter arrived, he realized that he probably wouldn't. Several days had gone by and it came to his attention that they were out of meat and the dried fruit he had stocked up was nearly gone. So much for reading the letter right away, he had to go hunting soon.

Ever since the Hylian child had crossed his threshold things had changed a lot in Rusl's home. There was a new routine and it revolved mostly around taking care of Link. Before his parents had passed away they had told him many times he was their world. Was that what they meant? Did playing the role of a parent mean you completely put yourself to the side? That sounded right, but he had to admit it was hard.

Concern for the boy was first and foremost, even thoughts for his own wife were occasionally pushed aside. Rarely did he spare his mind to think about himself. Only a handful of dried apple slices left? They go to the boy. Leftover bread? It goes to his wife. He couldn't exactly complain since he didn't mind that much, but it did show him part of the responsibilities that came with taking care of a wife and a child. It was actually kinda hard, all the worrying over the youth and having to help him adjust and get used to using a crutch, comforting him, helping him in any way possible. It was busy, yet, it was enjoyable. There was just something about it that made him wish the circumstances that brought Link into his life were cheerier, as though he was just a distant uncle taking care of his nephew for awhile. Instead he was watching a traumatized boy struggle to get his childhood back without the help of his family.

The reluctant days that came before the letter's arrival went by both quickly and obnoxiously slow. There were moments that went by too fast, small smiles made by a sad child, fleeting laughter that only lingered briefly in the air, moments of peace untainted by solemnity; they went by too fast. Then there was the long, boring parts of their time, they dragged on and on, unrelenting and tough against attempts at entertainment. While some were just childish boredom or Rusl's frustration at the passage of time, some slow moments were more…heartfelt. Yes, there were little pauses where comfort was needed and solace bonded with silence. Little points in time that were dedicated solely to the comfort of a small Hylian that was separated from his family. They were special, but the child did not need two strangers there for him, he needed his real family. With luck the response from the castle would help in at least finding Link's village.

Contrary to what Rusl believed, it had only been a couple days since he and Bo had sent the letter to the castle. To him it felt like a week. Not because he despised the time spent with a child in his home, quite the opposite. He could never hate the boy or any child really. The swordsman was simply anxious about returning the boy to his home, even if there was a slight possibility the parents could be dead there would at least be someone familiar, right? Someone in the boy's village or perhaps somebody from the area that was willing to take care of him? There was so much to worry about for Link, it was getting to him.

While the days were boring there were some interesting aspects. Rusl had little to no chance of keeping the boy a secret or away from the other villagers.

It was only a day after the letter had been sent that word started spreading. Even if Rusl had not taken the boy out of the comfort of his home, Fado's mother mentioned his odd request for children's clothes. It's not every day that such a thing happens unless somebody was expecting a baby in the future so of course all the women were curious. If it weren't for Jaggle spotting Rusl and Link walking together they probably would have been bombarded by the womenfolk trying to find out if Uli was expecting or not. He was quite happy that even though they couldn't retain anonymity for the boy, they were at least gifted a bit more privacy thanks to Bo. The Mayor was told by Jaggle first, he then personally went around to each home and informed them briefly of the situation and why Rusl's home needed to be given space. Both he and Uli were very thankful for being left alone in their house. Being outside however, that was different. Nothing ever really happens in a small village. Any interesting events are noticed quickly.

Link's first interaction with another villager went as well as expected. It was the second day after the letter had been sent out and the Hylian was, obviously, still struggling to adjust. All three of them were outside when Sera approached them. She was there for honest reasons, Uli had promised to help her sew a tricky outfit as a gift. While the other woman was there for reasons beyond that of seeing the small boy, she was still curious, as was everybody.

Rusl was outside repairing the makeshift crutch in the warm sun, Link was there most likely out of paranoia. The poor thing didn't seem to take solitude very well and preferred sticking close to either the older man or Uli. While her husband worked on their doorstep, Uli had been washing the mud stains from his hunting clothes. She was the first to notice Sera walk over to them. Greeting her casually, she dried her hands and stood, already chatting away. Regardless of Sera's friendly demeanor, Link had immediately scooted behind Rusl. Chuckling slightly, the swordsman glanced behind him at the boy. The youth was peeking around at the two women, his curiosity evident past his fear.

"Aw, he looks so precious, Uli." Sera gushed at the sight, her curiosity inevitably overtaking her.

Uli smiled in quiet agreement, but she was hoping Link wouldn't be too frightened. Thankfully, Sera didn't smother him. All she did was wave and continue to talk with Uli. The entire time the other woman was there, which wasn't long, the small Hylian stayed behind Rusl. Both women eventually walked to Sera's home after the laundry was hung up to dry. Following their departure a sigh of relief was heard.

As soon as Rusl finished repairing the crutch he gave it back to the timid child. The shabby support had simply fallen apart earlier that day, luckily it didn't look like it would be necessary after about a week or so of healing. A small, fond smile rested on the swordsman's face as the boy followed him back inside. Link didn't seem much like a people person, but he still seemed friendly enough. For what trauma he had gone through, it seemed he had retained _some_ hope in people, enough to trust Rusl bit by bit.

Before he had to go hunting, Rusl continued to learn more and more about that sweet little boy staying with them. Loud noises would send him scurrying away from the source or jumping nearly a foot in the air. Hiding was also a habit of his, the swordsman encountered it for the first time when Sera came around, but any time he became frightened or was unsure he would hide behind Rusl or Uli. A sweet, shy, small Hylian boy far from his home, such apprehension born of a terrible experience. Who would have the heart to do that to a child? A sweet little child. What man would steal an innocent life away? The fact Rusl had no one to condemn, no one to bring to justice, it bothered him. Made him feel as if he should be able to do more for the tainted life in his home. Yet, all he _could_ do was wait. Wait for a blasted letter to arrive.

Thoughts of frustration and anger would only glance off of Rusl's mind. Worry and care would always drift back to Uli and Link. As much as he hated the thought, he knew he had to leave. His wife knew it too. A day or two wasn't that long, but it was. Two days spent worrying, and thinking. Had the letter arrived while he was gone? What would it say? Would it be helpful? Could they find Link's village?

Scents and sights blurred together, noises a background to his hunting spree. Before long he had gathered plenty of spring nuts and berries, along with the hide and meat of a young doe. Despite his focus being divided he had still managed to shoot the animal, blood and must another sensation ignored by his turbulent mind. He had to get back home, usually he was not single minded, rarely so focused on one thing. There was a sense of obligation thrown into the mess of his impatience. Walking back into the village was difficult with all the excess weight he was carrying, but it was worth it. Rays or early morning sunshine were framing the new dawn when he arrived, the scent of blood and meat contrasting against the scent of blooming wildflowers. He had left and returned so quickly, the boy's future was important to him.

Upon opening the door he was immediately greeted with the wide, sleepy eyes of the little Hylian he had spent so much time worrying about. Link was sitting up in bed, heavy hands rubbing droopy eyelids. With a kind smile, Rusl took off his pack, reaching inside he pulled out a small pouch and placed it by the boy. He proceeded to take out the other packs of nuts and berries as well as the meat, all neatly wrapped. Amusement danced across his face after seeing Link fast asleep once again with the small pouch of berries he had given him grasped in one hand. As soon as he got everything put away he strode out the door.

Eagerness to talk with Bo and seeing if the letter arrived only increased as he walked down the path, prompting him to jog. The early hours did not stop him that time, he rapped on the door with his knuckles several times. Morning light illuminated the world around him, going unnoticed by him. Birds greeted the light and all he could think of was how slow Mayor Bo was in getting to the door. He was about to knock again when the frazzled older man opened the door.

"Rusl, do you know what time it is?" Bo grumbled, annoyed at being woken up.

"Dawn is a perfectly acceptable time to be awake, Bo." He retorted, "Did the letter come while I was gone?"

The Mayor sighed and nodded.

"Well?" Rusl asked, "Was it good news?"

The swordsman's face fell at the expression held in the other's. Bo opened the door wider to let him in, walking to the table where an open envelope with a broken red seal of wax. Rusl followed him, picking up the paper and pulling out the parchment inside.

 _Mayor of Ordon,_

 _As the Royal Counsel of Hyrule, we regret to inform you that there is no way for us to assist the child you wrote us about. The region from whence the boy came is no longer under the rule of King Daphnes, long live the King. In order to avoid conflict with the neighboring kingdom it was gifted to their appointed ruler. Interfering with matters pertaining to the way they govern their own lands, even regarding what we know as Human Traffickers, is not within our power to intervene. While it is agreeable that the tragedy is unfortunate, the only assistance we, as a busy counsel, can offer is advice. We advise you to avoid the borders of our adjoining lands for the time being, not only because we are still in threat of conflict, but there also appears to be an increase in slavers and trafficking. To improve the future of the child, it has been suggested that he find work. There will always be work in Castle Town; if you so wish to relinquish the child to the local orphanage they would be most appreciative and gladly find him a career in which he could become an Apprentice. From the description you offered up, a laconic child would be chosen swiftly by most Blacksmiths, seeing as how taciturnity is welcome in such a field. We offer our condolences to the boy, may he be able to thrive and contribute to our blessed Kingdom of Hyrule._

 _Regretfully,_

 _The Royal Counsel of Hyrule_

Rusl stared in disbelief at the fancy parchment covered in swirly, pompous writing.

"They can't help? That's nonsense! The people who took Link came into our borders! Surely they can do something, anything! Anything besides trying to recruit a boy who doesn't even look like he has seen 5 summers yet!" in his anger, the swordsman tossed the parchment back onto the table, "All they are doing is attempting to gain from him! What does laconic even mean?! Same with taciturnity?! Royal Counsel? Bah! Counsel of fools more like."

Bo remained silent as the man before him raged and thanked the Goddesses that his daughter slept like a rock most days. He too had been quite frustrated with the lack of help they received, but his anger had abated the previous day. Patiently, he waited for Rusl to calm down. It took awhile, but eventually the swordsman became silent, resting in a chair with his elbows on the table. Hands intertwined, he held them close to his bearded chin, glaring at the offending letter the entire time.

"As far as I could discern, laconic and taciturnity is related to Link's silence." Bo pulled out a chair, his weight causing it to groan slightly as he sat down.

Frustration bubbled up again and the younger man ran his fingers through his hair.

"Goddesses, what are we to do, Bo? Masters aren't the nicest people and they only accept boys that look at least 7 winters, the poor thing would suffer under any kind of trade."

Bo looked away for a moment, pondering. "I've been thinking about that too. We could still send him to the orphanage, perhaps they will wait for him to grow some more before they send him to a trade."

"I'm not sure about that, I wish we could just find his home again, but it's illegal without permission and we just barely made a pact with the other kingdom. Fighting them was…it was terrible, I-"

Bo cut him off there, "It's alright, I see what you mean, my friend. I don't want him to be sent to work in Castle Town either, and I also wish he could be sent home. So, I believe we have to make an alternative."

"What do you mean? What kind of alternative?"

"Well, I was thinking I could take him under my wing, figuratively speaking. I bet he and Ilia would get along decently. Just until he is old enough to be an Apprentice that is."

Rusl went quiet, rolling the idea over in his head. Bo was right, that seemed like the best option, besides, it's not like his own home with Uli was prepared for a child. The Mayor was used to young children, it was fitting.

"Once again I see why you're the Mayor, it appears to be the wisest option for now." He was relieved to know that matters were resolved so quickly.

Getting up, Rusl made a move to leave the large home.

"Wait a moment longer, Rusl. I have another proposition. I am prepared to take the boy into my home, but I doubt he is prepared to become a part of it. He…doesn't trust me like he trusts you. It seems wise to keep him here in the village, but there is no point if he isn't comfortable." He paused briefly, "I believe that he should stay with you. I understand that it can be a struggle to feed him, don't worry. I'll make sure he won't go hungry, if you need anything then you can come to me."

Rusl was stunned, sure he was capable of caring for the child for a couple of days, but for 2 whole years?! If not longer? That was a lot of responsibility and he wasn't sure if he was ready for it. Yet, at the same time it seemed right.

"I-I'm not sure, er, let me talk to Uli about it first." As soon as his mouth shut, the door was opened and closed, his feet already leading him back to his house.

He opened the door with a huff of uncertainty and a jumble of other emotions. Uli was awake by then, preparing a simple breakfast with some of the venison he brought home.

"Morning honey, what did the letter say? I heard it arrived yesterday."

Glancing at the child-sized lump under the covers of their bed he began to tell her about it. Bo's idea was brought up soon after, bringing her actions to a halt.

"He'd stay here with us? It would be a lot of work, Rusl. He's sweet ,but any child can be a handful."

A nod of agreement followed, "I know, Uli, but it doesn't seem like a bad idea. Bo is right, he does trust us more than anyone else at the moment."

She sighed, "We'll talk more about this later. For now, let's eat." With a gentle, tender hand she kindly shook Link awake.

Tired eyes blinked open once again, Link sat up and slowly moved out of bed. Getting out of bed seemed to be a real obstacle for him, not just because of his leg. He hopped over to the table with the pouch of berries Rusl had given him in one hand. Chuckling a bit, the older man watched as the youth made quick work of the small fruit before Uli had even served the venison.

It was during that humble breakfast of lean deer that both Rusl and Uli decided within that they wouldn't mind such a life. A life caring for a boy who was lacking a familiar face, a warm home to stay. A life comforting and helping a sad, young Hylian before he would make a bigger mark on the world. Such a beautiful morning, light streaming into a home with three content faces, what more could the world want? What more could the humble, makeshift family want?

It was quiet at the table, by the time the platters and cups were put away only a few words had been spoken. Link sat blinking in the morning sun from the window, crutch close at hand. Uli and Rusl whispered in the corner briefly, their conversation ending with two large smiles. Rusl's drifted into a smaller, fond smile as he walked over to the Hylian. Uli watched as her husband whispered to the child, leading him outside and down the path. She watched from the window as they made their way to the entrance of Ordon and disappeared.

Along the edge of the woods, Rusl came to a halt. He crouched down, a hand on Link's shoulder. The explanation was simple and the older man watched the youth's face and eyes shift between several expressions. There was sadness first, being what Rusl could only believe to be the pure sadness of lost hope. Sympathy swelled up inside him, he wasn't capable of imagining that he would never be able to see even one familiar person ever again. A child, so very, very far from home, never to return. The proposal to let him stay with them was taken with joy then sadness when he found it came with a catch. Two years, then Castle Town? Again, it was hard to imagine what the poor thing was thinking. After the swordsman was done talking, he offered an embrace, arms open wide. Tiny, twig-like arms wrapped around him in response. This was a new life that Link had been thrown into, but it seemed he was willing to take his chances with it.

Rusl did never find out what led to a kidnapped Hylian getting lost in the woods near Ordon. At least not then. Later, he found out. Later, when the Hylian regained the some will to speak, to write, was he able to tell them. Yet, that's a different story. A different matter that would almost best be forgotten.

However, as time passed, promises were forgotten, whether on purpose or not it was hard to tell. Rusl never kept that mental promise that he would take Link to become an Apprentice. Two years turned to three, eventually three turned to four, four to six, and finally six to twelve. Twelve years of love and devotion, trust to be built upon the foundation of it all.

Even when the darkness fell, and the Hero faced the threat of loneliness, he knew. He knew it deep down, that he had in fact, seen darker days. At least on his quest he wasn't alone. At the back of his mind he would always remember that, always remember he had been in days of darkness and he had come out triumphant, only with help of those he loved and he'd be damned before he let any of them be hurt.

Family is family, even if it is in all but blood. You don't need to be related to love them as such.


End file.
